Assassinating Athena
by Gold Saint Mu
Summary: Saint Seiya: Hades Sanctuary. Saga and Kanon attempt to assassinate Athena.


_Original story by Masami Kurumada._

**Assassinating Athena**

Saga's heart is crying? Mu noticed. Not just Saga's but Shura's and Camus' as well.

Shion's eyes narrowed. He sealed Mu's movements. Don't say it. Don't even think it. King Hades is powerful. Yes, it saddens us to kill Athena, but we will do so in order to gain new lives. "Don't forget, we only have twelve hours," Shion said to Saga, Shura, and Camus. "Before that, you must take Athena's head."

"Yes!" They ran onward.

At the Gemini Temple, they were faced by an unexpected adversary. "I never expected to see him again."

"Do you know this person, Saga? Who is he?" Shura asked.

"Nevermind that. Just go on ahead. I'll deal with this person."

"Ok. We'll leave you here. The Gemini Temple used to be yours so you can deal with intruders best."

Saga faced his younger brother. "Who let you come here and protect the Gemini Temple?"

"Athena, of course," Kanon replied.

"Hah! You who hated Athena now fight on her behalf?"

"Who are you to say? You, Saga, who are Evil Incarnate. Now you've become Hades' henchman."

"Shut up! Who's the one who encouraged that evil," Saga said angrily. "You corrupted me thirteen years ago. You fighting for Athena is laughable. She may have forgiven you for your sins, but I know the truth. I'll reveal your treachery!"

Saga blasted Kanon, who couldn't entirely block the attack that ended up knocking the helmet off—the helmet of peace and justice that Saga had been unable to wear since he murdered Shion. Kanon absorbed the

Saga and Kanon hadn't seen each other since that day when Saga had locked Kanon in the prison of Cape Sunion. Their eyes met.

"So, the evil hasn't yet consumed your soul," Kanon noted. "You were loyal to Athena; you still are. You would die for her, and now, you've come back from the dead for her. Why, Saga? Why are you doing this?"

After a moment, Saga said, "You're wrong, Kanon. I serve only Hades now."

"Then why are you seeking to kill me and protect Athena from my treachery?" Kanon pointed out. "You can't fool me, Saga. I know your heart. I experienced the same thing you did. When I sought to rule over the seas and the land by deceiving King Poseidon, I fought with myself. He was never completely in control of me, but I could never drive him from my heart. Wasn't it the same with you?"

"What?" Saga's eyes widened. "Then..."

"Yes. Athena cleansed the evil from my soul, and I am no longer conflicted. I know the same happened to you before you committed suicide for your crimes." Kanon held out his hand. "Saga, we'll fight Hades together. Whatever the reason you are here, I believe it is for Athena. I know it is."

Saga was moved to tears, but he only said, "I am here to kill Athena, and I will do so before the flames of the Zodiac clock are extinguished."

"Then I believe there must be a reason for this. I'll take her life for you."

"No, Kanon, don't!" Saga didn't want this heavy burden on his brother's soul. He didn't want anything to stain his brother now that he was pure-hearted.

Kanon smiled. "For you, my brother, and for Athena, I will do this. Saga, if you were truly evil, your hair would be dyed black from the darkness within you, and your eyes would be red from straining to fight your other half. You can't fool me. You can't fool anyone."

One small mistake. Did Hades know? Suddenly, the Surplice disappeared from his body.

"NO! ANOTHER DIMENSION!" Saga bent the world so that he could re-enter at the top of Sanctuary. He didn't realize he could do it, but it made sense since he'd been able to affect the Gemini Temple from the Pope's chamber.

He grabbed the dagger with his hand, cutting it badly in order to stop it from hurting his Goddess Athena.

"Saga!" Although Kanon had been struck simultaneously with fourteen of Milo's fifteen Scarlet Needle, he had remained determined to finish his duty.

"Kanon!" Saga tore the dagger from Kanon's hand.

As serious as Athena attempted to be, she was, in the end, still a young lady and couldn't help but to faint at the sight of a naked man standing before her. Saga dropped the golden dagger and caught the young goddess.

"What is this?" Milo growled. He taken Kanon's Galaxian Explosion and thought he'd failed to protect Athena.

"Kanon's right. We were only pretending to be evil in order to get to Athena and reveal to her the secret of her Cloth. In order for her armor to come to life, her divine blood is needed. But it need not be that much blood."

Saga gently handed Athena over to Kanon and made a small nick on her milky smooth skin. Taking the blood, he scattered it on the Statue of Athena. He wasn't the Pope, but he had read everything in the library on top of Star Hill. The statue shrank to become the portable version of her armor.

"With so many casualties from my rebellion, I don't believe we are strong enough to invade Hades' world. For now, we should just fight to stop him from taking control of this world." Saga looked up at the full moon. Any moment now, the body given to him by Hades would fade like his Surplice.

A faint golden glow surrounded Athena's body, and then Saga's body also began to glow. The gold Gemini Cloth that had remained in the Gemini Temple appeared before him, separated, and covered his body.

Athena awakened, slipped out of Kanon's arms, and took up her staff. Saga, Kanon, and Milo knelt down before her. "Saga, you and the others have already done so much for me. Now it's my turn to help you. Return, my Saints, and fight beside me in the coming Holy War." Throughout the world, Athena's Cosmos touched those who had died and restored their Surplice to a Cloth of Athena.

Tears flowed freely from Saga's eyes. Never had he imagined that such a situation could be possible. His life wasn't important, but the privilege and honor of protecting Athena meant everything to him. Kanon had known it from the start: Saga would always be loyal to Athena. "Athena, thank you for giving me this opportunity," Saga said. "I pledge my life to you."

"Our lives and beyond," Kanon said.


End file.
